Protecting the Head
by gooberbot
Summary: CHAPPIE 6 UP!“Protector of the Small”... that’s her name right? She protects all that are helpless and can’t protect themselves. So when a group of (cough) intelligent boys show up, saying that they need help, she’s supposed to help them. Right?
1. Chapter 1

How come everybody thinks that Kel's this depressed little chit who can't handle anything? Suicide, death notes, all so tragic… They must really hate her. Chauvinistic conservatives … Does it really sound like she's depressed? My light version of only pocky knows what (I finally know what that is! Yay for Wal-Mart foreign foods).

Oh and please be nice. This is my first Tamora Pierce fanfic (though I love reading them and reviewing them myself)

Protecting the Head – Chapter 1

By strawbeby

Keladry of Mindelan looked around confused. This was where she was supposed to be. She knew it. See, there was biggest tree in the forest on her direct left. And here. Right in front of her was the bubbling brook. And there. Underneath her feet was the 2 flat rocks described. Now where were they.

Better question – who are they? She had received the note under her door early this morning. As soon as Kel saw the parchment slip under the door she tried to rush to the door and maybe get a glimpse of who sent it. But she wasn't really dressed for going into public, and the palace court wouldn't consider it "appropriate" for one of the only female knights to run out into the markets wearing only a breast band and a loin cloth.

Normally Kel wouldn't think twice about a note that told like that. But some how it intrigued her. She snatched the crumpled up note out of her pocket to refer to it.

_Dear Lady Knight, _it read.

So you've made it through some of the adventures planned in your destiny have you? I'm not putting you down, though. We're just letting you think. You've almost single handedly destroyed the Scanran army's main weapon. For that We applaud you.

We have also come with a proposal, that We think you might enjoy. But to discuss it in a letter that could fall in any incapable hands? Never. If you'd like to confer with us We feel we must give one more test of your cunning. So We supply a complex riddle.

_First find the place that you can hear bark at any time of day or night. Then move towards the one whose bark is the loudest. Next on your right you should search to find a witches cauldron that's filled with the thing that a hurt soldier demands. Got that? Good. Next we recommend getting your footing on two Gods-made shows. There you will find Us in the depth of the day. We wish you good luck._

And that was where it ended. It kept a question in Kel's head for the rest of the day until she just couldn't take it any more. She had to figure out who was behind it. So the next day she ate her breakfast, packed herself a light meal; dressed in one of her most comfortable leather breeches and shirt; grabbed her glaive, bow, and quiver of griffin fletched arrows (She may have been curious, but she was no fool); and set out on her journey.

The first thing that Kel had thought she would have to do was go to the kennels, where the dogs were kept. But what about the "_day or night thing_"? All dogs have to sleep don't they? Also their use of grammar in that first sentence puzzled her. These people sounded intelligent. Wouldn't bark actually be barking? _Bark_ she thought. _Bark but not barking. Almost as if it were a thing than an action…_ Then it hit her. Tree Bark! She would have to go into the Royal Forest.

The next part was quite simple, now that she figured the first part out. "_Move towards the one whose bark is loudest._" Well usually the biggest dog is louder than the rest so that would mean the biggest tree would have the loudest bark.

The third part puzzled her for a while, though. "_find a witch's cauldron that's filled with the thing that a hurt soldier demands." _Kel decided to ignore the witch's cauldron part and focused on "_the thing that a hurt soldier demands."_ _Food_, she thought? _No usually they're in too much 'pain' to think about that kind of thing. Their loved one? That would be hard to fit every soldier's wife, betrothed, or lover into the cauldron._ She then thought of those she helped Duke Baird bandage when she had to help the healers. _Water_, she thought triumphantly!

_But wouldn't a cauldron, pot, or kettle be really noticeable out here,_ she thought? Nearby her she heard a lovely stream, gurgling and bubbling all lovely…._Bubbling? A witch's cauldron bubbles!_

So she approached the stream filled with a slight pride, but still on her toes. You know, just in case.

"_recommend getting your footing on two Gods-made shoes." _The Gods didn't make leather did they? And anyway that would be the same situation of expecting a cauldron to be in the middle of nowhere, expecting a pair of shoes to be in the middle of no where. So she decided to think of what the Gods did make instead. _Trees, _Kel thought, looking back toward the biggest tree that she should keep in sight. _Water, dirt, stones, clouds, animals…_

Then she paused, having listed the most obvious ones. _Probably not trees because that was the first answer, also the same thing for water. There's dirt everywhere and you can't set your feet on two clouds. Animals you could, but for them to be in the same place, then they'd have to be dead and another carniverous animal would be likely to carry them off as food. So stones would probably be the most sensible answer._

And, sure enough, about ten paces in front of her gaze were two flat stones each a bit bigger than a foot print. So Kel smiled as she walked to the stones and stepped on them.

There she waited for a few minutes until she had realized that there was one more riddle plastered into the letter. "_There you will find Us in the depth of the day." _Depth usually meant distance. And it would probably refer to the position of the sun, being as it said day. The time of day when the sun was the farthest? Noon, of course!

Kel peered up at the rising sun. She still had an hour's wait until it would be more accurately noon. So she took her belongings and had a nice, peaceful eat by the "_witch's cauldron"_ enjoying its pleasant noise. When she was finished resting she decided that it would be better to wait for whoever it was in the on the stones mentioned. So preparing her weapons for a second time she walked over to the place and stood there.

As soon as her second foot hit its stone, Kel felt a stream of constant energy run through her body. Then, just as suddenly, she felt tired. So tired that she had to kneel, and she knew that if anything or anybody came right at that moment she would never be able even lift her glaive, let alone fight with it. So her hand flew to her bow and quiver, reaching for three of her griffin arrows.

Her hand filled with energy as soon as she touched it, despite the growing fatigue in the rest of her body. Quickly she placed one of the arrows behind her ear like an artists pencil, tucked another in her belt, and strung the last one.

"Show yourselves, oh treacherous ones, so you may pay for the crime you were to commit!" she heard herself shout.

But she heard and saw nothing. No ambush of warriors gleeful that Kel had fallen for a stupid trap, no cocky mage trying to get rid of one of the most known Tortallan knight, no anything. Just the sound of the water laughing at her mistake.

Or was there something? Kel heard something faint, but distinct. The noises made out the words of a conversation that was being had.

"…you owe me 15 coppers. She's here at least an hour before you said she would be." This voice had the ring of a tenor but it was as though through lips that were being bobbed up and down.

"Oh, bully for you. You know that was never a clear bet? So I don't really owe you anything." This voice had a stronger baritone taste though it still sounded like he was trying to speak while some one was moving his lips at the same time.

"YOU DON'T OWE ME ANYTHING! I assure you, you do-"

"GUYS!" a third voice interrupted, an nice rough mixture of tenor and baritone, but still the garbled sound was there. "Will you stop acting like your immature selves for two seconds to notice the girl!" Kel felt three pairs of eyes focus on her.

"Arthur, just how much chamomile did you use in the spell?" Kel heard the second voice ask.

"Well," the first voice began. "I reduced the amount that we usually use to knock Ian out by about a tablespoon."

"You fool!" the third voice raged. "Ian's a full grown black robe mage with an insomnia problem! That could easily knock out a few legion of soldiers! How in the world she's still conscious is beyond me, but you've got to take the spell off. We wanted to seize her, not KILL her!"

"How was I to know!" The first voice replied. "You two always told me that's the way the spell went. I never knew any better! And anyway, how are you sure she still is conscious!"

"Her bow stupid!" The second voice grunted. "Or would she fall asleep while it was half hanging in the air. Now, with out any further delay, take Eric's suggestion and REMOVE THE SPELL! She's our only hope!"

After Kel heard a gurgled sigh she felt her burden of fatigue lifted from her. Quickly she stood and restrung her bow and pointed it towards a bushy area where they could be hiding.

"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan," the second voice started, but this time it sounded larger as if he spoke through a cone of paper and with the gargle sound filtered through and gone. "So you are clever enough. Very well. Now that you've traced through Our riddle, you are probably wanting to see your pursuers."

The voice didn't sound like it came from the bushes, though. It sounded like it came from… everywhere. With a determined gaze that revolved slowly around her Kel replied. "Indeed. I would very much like to know why I was called here as a friend, but then attacked like a foe."

She heard the third voice chuckle then reply in the same omnipresent ungarbled kind of voice as the second voice did. "We are very much sorry for that inconvenience. We only needed to test you, and then you had to remain in the same place until we were finished. A mistake (and this she felt was spoken harshly and toward the first voice) though was made, and you were probably tested harder than you should've been. That was unnecessary and will probably hinder our future, but as they always say. No use crying over spilt milk."

_Easy for you to say_, Kel thought. _I feel like I just jousted with my Lord Raoul for five continual times._ But her Yamani training held her tongue. She would not let the stranger's rudeness be cause for her to anger.

"Pardon me for saying so sirs, but who are you?" she asked instead.

The first voice spoke up this time, also omnipotent and ungargled. "Oh, dear knight, We are but ones that seek out your help." He gave a squeal of pain, and Kel guessed that one of the others had nudged him in the ribs. "What I mean to say is that We heard of your greatness in helping others, and though we could handle this evil ourselves, We would feel comforted if you'd join Us in fighting Our hindrance."

Then his voice went garbled as he said, "You didn't have to elbow me Tomas! Now she'll think I'm the foolish one."

"You are the foolish one, Arthur," the second voice replied in a garbled voice. "And anyway you were making us sound too needy. Remember she's the privileged one, not us. So try not to make us sound like we're poor little orphan children begging for chocolate coins."

"Fine!" the first voice replied in his bobbed voice.

"Um, excuse me?" Kel said. "How can I, uh, 'join you in fighting your hindrance' when I cannot see you?"

"We, uh, can never be seen." The second voice replied to her in the omnipresent voice. "Uh, no. That's just a disadvantage of being us. Yeah, we are… permantly invisible!"

"Smooth move," the third voice replied in his garbled voice. "Like she'll ever buy that. I thought we agreed that we are ghosts."

"No," the second voice replied in his bobbed voice. "You said we were ghosts. Arthur and I agreed that we had a freak invisibility accident."

"I did not!" the first voice replied indignantly and garbled. "I thought we were going to say that we were telepathic and were able to get messages into her head from long distances and that we're locked up."

"Now that's just absurd," the second voice said. " 'Telepathic' indeed!"

"Of course now it is," the first voice said. "Now that you went and screwed it all up. Now we're stuck."

"Gentlemen," Kel said, speaking up and hoping that they could hear her when they were speaking like this. "I hope you all realize that I know that none of you are invisible, ghosts, or telepathic."

"Fantastic!" the first voice said to his accompaniments in his bobbed voice. "She herself is a mighty telepathic! I've always wanted to meet one!"

Kel heard another garbled sigh and then the third voice reply in a gargled voice. "Silly! Our tests would've shown that. She's clearly NOT telepathic. Somehow she's able to hear us. And if I'm correct then it would be a waste of energy to continue using the spell." Then he took the gargled sound out but his voice didn't sound omnipotent this time. "Am I correct, lady knight?"

Kel smiled and decided that it was safe to lower her bow. "I would think so. I'd like to know also why you three are hiding. Unless I'm mistaken and there are more?"

She could practically feel the grins on their faces as the second voice replied to her request. "No, there are three of us, though I would not say only. We're only hiding because… Well, because…. Eric, if we're going to have her help us then she needs to know who and what we are."

"No Tomas. Then she won't help us. No body else has, remember!"

"But she's different Eric! For Mithros' sake her name is the 'Protector of the Small'! She's got to help us!"

At this Kel was extremely confused. "Are you three talking bugs or animals of some sort?" she asked.

The first voice then laughed. "Guys, she thinks we're grasshoppers! I am not a grasshopper, for your information lady knight, I'm tired of doing this, and she's got food."

"Arthur, NO!" Eric called out, evidently thinking that Arthur was going to do something.

And then all of a sudden a head popped out of the bushes. It belonged to a lad of about 11 years of age and the body quickly tumbled out along with it. The boy then stood up and shook Kel's free hand.

Arthur had a mass of curly, ear length, jet black hair, tumbled together on a heart shaped face. His happy almond eyes were a chocolaty brown, and his pale skin was frequently sprinkled with cinnamon freckles. A pleasant nose crowned his thin smiling lips as dimples robed them.

"Sir Lady Knight Ma'am Keladry of Mindelan, my name is Arthur of Emtuem and I'm the youngest member of the Head. And if you have any food in stashed away in the pouch of your belt, I'd be happy to oblige to carry it for you. I have to warn you that it probably won't get returned either." And with that the boy grinned up at her.

Hey, this actually came out as the beginning of a good story! Weird, that never happens to me… O.k. so you know the drill. Click that nice little box below to tell me how much you love (or hated) my story. I'm sorry I broke my own rule and made characters. I think that you'll like them though


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, Weird! I actually got reviews… That usually never happens. BTW- for us people who need to know: Pocky is a biscuit stick (like the Handy Snack breadsticks that you dip in cheese) and it's dipped in chocolate. It's quite good (I tried my first today actually with some friends). And I know how you feel nothing else worked- cliffies are BAD and EVIL to read. Not so bad to write about though…. I'll try not to leave one this time.

Oh and the rating's only 'cause of the intelligent conversation and maybe violence. I am NOT writing a romance (For once).

Disclaimer (I forgot to write it last time- thankies to blue mariposa for pointing that out to me): I do not own Tamora Pierce. That's 'cause slavery's illegal. Darn Yankees….

Protecting the Head – Chapter 2

Kel fished out some of the dried meat she had left over from the meal. As he ate she gave him a better look at.

Arthur was wearing black robes, but these were not those in the style of a master mage. This seemed to have been made with them in mind, but there were the distinct features of pockets, no sleeves, and ties instead of buttons that set these apart.

She also noticed that the boy was quite thin and that his robes were thin, ragged, and covered in dirt. So he had probably been traveling far, and not traveling on light roads either.

When he finished eating the piece of jerky she gave him he looked up at her. He squinted and then shouted out, "She's not that bad, guys. Look, you can already see that she's starting to like me!"

Arthur then grinned back to the bushes, where the other two apparently were, as Kel wiped any look of attachment off of her face and growled at the thought.

"What makes you think that I like you?" she asked.

"Arthur can tell because he can read emotions," said the second voice. Kel looked up and there was another boy who had appeared out of the bushes.

Then he turned to Arthur. "Imbecile. It's never wise to reveal to everyone around you exactly what you know. It can be used against you."

This boy was about 16 years of age and was about a head and a half taller than Arthur. This one had really curly, coarse, jet black hair that sat on his irritable looking face. Inside a round shaped face were big hazel eyes that Kel could relate to her own, a nose similar to Arthur's, but this boy's lips were fuller and his freckles weren't as prominent because of his slightly darker skin tone. The two were definitely brothers. This boy also wore black robes like his comrade's, with the only exception being that they were longer so the pockets were higher.

"Aw, Tomas," Arthur replied. "You know I was just trying to get you two to come out. And now you know it worked." With that he grinned up into his comrade's scowl.

"Well it didn't work all the way either. Eric is still refusing to come out," Tomas said.

"That's right," Kel heard the third voice reply. "You two may be completely ignorant to the fact that she could still be a spy, but I feel that it is necessary for me to keep myself concealed."

"You call us ignorant?" Tomas said. "You ran those tests yourself. They showed up that she had only the truest of intentions seeking us out. If it had came out any other way then we would've just let her go remember. So stop being stubborn about your real reason and reveal yourself."

"Eric's just ashamed," Arthur told Kel. "He hates the way he looks."

"I do not!" the third voice shouted. "And I'm not being stubborn. I'm just being cautious, unlike two brothers of mine!"

"If you were anymore cautious," Tomas said, "then you'd be dead from not eating."

"FINE!" the third voice retaliated, and soon Kel saw a third boy come out of the bushes.

All in all he was quite normal looking. He was another head taller than Tomas, though he looked to be only 14. His hair was more dark brown than black, but his hair was wavy in a way similar to Arthur's. Another similarity to the younger comrade was his heart shaped face, but he had lips that were full like Tomas' , and a rounder nose. His eyes looked to be a beady dark brown, but were complimented nicely with round, black framed glasses. And he, also, wore shabby black robes like his brothers.

"See, Eric?" Tomas asked. "Are We finished playing the part of the baby now? Because I thought that that was Arthur's job."

After an indignant "Hey!" from Arthur, Eric replied. "Yes, fine, whatever you like to think. Let's just get this over with."

"What's the matter with his looks?" Kel quietly asked Arthur.

"His glasses," Arthur replied, in a not-altogether quiet voice. "Didn't you notice? Nobody hardly ever wears them, except old men and priests. He thinks it's a curse that the Gods bestowed upon him, to have to don them in his early age."

His comrades heard him and rounded on him. "Hush up, little silly one!" "Why you loud mouthed, fool!"

"Well, it's true!" Arthur remarked. "Doesn't he say that every morning as We wash up!"

Tomas replied to this, while hushing up the reddening Eric. "He may say that, but just because he does, doesn't give you permission to shout it all over the country."

"Whatever you say," muttered Arthur. "You still owe me 15 coppers…"

Kel jumped in before either of the two older boys could get close enough to Arthur to hurt him. "Who are You three, by the way?"

"Oh!" Tomas realized. "We deeply appologize for involving ourselves in another affair and ignoring our responsibilities to you. We are the Head of Tortall."

Kel stared at him. "You are not serious are you?"

Tomas smiled. "The one and only. You've heard of Us?"

She just looked more confused. "How can you be the head of Tortall? Wouldn't that be the royalty at court? I mean I should know, I've been there enough…"

Eric laughed mockingly. "She thinks that you meant that We rule Tortall, Tomas! No, lady knight, we do not rule over this land, as superb as that would be. We are…a kind of club? Group? No, a society! We are a society, and are base is at Our home in Emtuem."

Kel looked around at the three boys, still fairly confused.

"You see," started Arthur, "We're not at all ordinary boys. We've been given certain abilities. You've already seen mine. That's emotion reading. And We all have a gift of that sort, among other mage qualities. They're all actually quite useful and We've all been told that We're also powerful mages."

"Actually," Eric said, "Tomas and I have been told that we're powerful mages. You've just assumed that since We are all brothers that you have the quality too."

"Yeah," Arthur replied indignantly. "But then why do I always make the sleeping potion? Wouldn't it be the task of an equal if not more powerful mage?"

"No," Tomas told his youngest brother. "You just always get suckered into it."

"Okay, back to topic," Kel said, not liking them when they bicker. "What exactly IS the Head?"

"The Head," Tomas replied, "is a group Us three had formed with the thinking that We stand stronger united than divided. Though a fat lot of good that did."

"It's main purpose," Eric said, "is to benefit Us. Which is why we have called upon you to assist Us."

"You see, Our father died about three years ago," Arthur said. "Which was just fine with Us, because he ignored Us most of the time anyway. But since then, Our mother felt the need to 'provide' Us with another father."

"She chose unwisely, though, and We ended up with an evil git for a step father instead of a 'role model.' " Tomas said, with distaste in his voice. "He in turn murdered Our dear mother and now retains custody over Us. Not only that, but he somehow became a black robe mage and knows about Our powers. So most attempts that We make to 'help him rest peacefully in his eternal bed' is already known about and prevented."

"We're kept locked up most of the time," Eric said. "That is why none of Us are as powerful as We should be. But We need aid from a non power holder, because he has also set up a barrier so that no magic other than his own can be performed within a 20 mile radius of our fief."

"This is why We've sought you, lady knight," said Arthur. "Because you would be the one most willing to fight for Our cause. Other knights would just laugh at Us and think that We are telling falsehoods. The Lioness is a powerful warrior too, but your name is the Protector of the Small."

"That," Eric said. "And the fact that the Lioness is rumored to have a tongue that's sharper than her sword. Knowing those two, she would be so frustrated that she'd end up knotting them up and then throwing them up a tree."

"What, would you be quivering in fear somewhere while we fought?" Tomas asked.

Eric opened his mouth to answer but Arthur cut him off. "So will you help Us?"

Tomas tried to elbow him in the ribs, but this time Arthur was smarter and dodged his eldest brother's darting elbow. Arthur then, very unwisely, stuck his tongue out at the attacking brother.

Tomas started after him with a very threatening look in his eyes, but Kel stepped in-between and stopped him. "Just me? Aren't you going to get anybody else to help you?"

He looked exasperated. "Haven't you heard a single thing that we've been saying? No other knight WOULD help Us. They're too pompous and proud. No time to do what they're actually supposed to be doing," Tomas said with a certain distaste in his mouth.

Kel had other opinions, though. "Well, how do you think I accomplished anything if I didn't have people by my side? I needed my friends to help me do the important things, like earning my shield and defeating the Scanran iron giants."

"Fine, whatever you think," Tomas replied. "If your 'friends' could assist Us as well, then you may acquire their help. But don't say that We didn't warn you when they laugh you out of their homes."

Kel smiled. "Good. Now that that is settled, why don't we all go to the palace and rest for a bit. If all of you are as weary and famished as you look, then you are all dead on your feet."

&&&&&&&&&

There. Was that a cliffhanger? I hope not. I tried to not make it one, but I may have slipped up. Please reply with answers of your favorite Tortallan character that's NOT the main character shero. Thankies!


	3. Chapter 3

crosses eyes I know you'll forgive me. I think. I hope. OKAY I'm begging you! Please forgive me! I haven't updated in… counts on hands. Isn't enough. Takes off shoes. Gets lost at… 30 something Okay! A long time! At least I provide good and filling chapters!

Thank you all for reviewing. It was encouraging during the first half of this chapter.

Please note: I notice that I made a serious mistake that I cannot just laugh off. The Tortallans were at war with SCANRA not, as I had said in the past, CARTHAK. I appologize for my serious unworthiness. And I applaud those of you who did notice with knowledgeable Protector of the Small supremeness. (and for believing the load of cream I just pushed out. Lol) I have also corrected those mistakes.

Protecting the Head – Chapter 3

When the foursome arrived back at the palace, it was almost supper time.

The only thing that the boys had eaten the whole day was the small amount of jerky and dried fruit that Kel had given them. And Kel herself was hardly any better, having only eaten a small portion of breakfast that morning.

It was their wish, though, and if they wanted to starve themselves

So naturally they were all ravishing. Kel could not only feel it in her own stomach as she smelled the cooking meat of the kitchens waft over the yards they were walking across, but she could see longing on the boys' faces as well.

But then, a peculiar thing happened. Tomas turned to the lady knight as they were walking and said, "Um, we're not very hungry tonight. Might you just show us a piece of rug where we could rest?"

He then gulped down, and Kel knew that he was trying to suppress his hunger. The other two did the same kind of gulp, and then nodded their heads at her.

This puzzled her. Why did they want to sleep when they've been tracking through the forest all day, instead of getting a good filling meal? Surely they were not too tired to pick up a fork and shove something in their mouths?

But if that was their wish, who was she to stop them from starving themselves.

Rather quietly, she replied. "If that is what you wish. I can have food sent to your rooms, after I ask Master Umbrage about securing some, of course."

This sentence made them even more on their heels. "Oh, we wouldn't want to bother you, making you pay for rooms for us," Eric replied for the three of them. "We will just lodge with you."

Even more peculiar. They wanted to be cramped and stay in the same rooms as her, even though they somehow already knew that she was going to pay for extra ones.

"Nonsense," Kel said. "It's no bother to me. My purse has been fattening lately from my work in the north. You all need rooms of your own."

"No, we don't, Lady Knight," Arthur replied. "Please just take our words for this: we would be much more comfortable with you."

Kel thought about it for a moment, then dismissed it. They were being secretive again. They probably won't tell her unless they thought was necessary. So she'd just have to accept that.

"Very well, then boys," Kel supplied. "I'll take you up, but then I'M going back to the dining hall to get myself some supper. And no messing around while I'm gone either."

&&&&&&&&&&

When she finished showing the boys her rooms, dropping off her weapons, and asking a servant to bring an abundance of food to her rooms as soon as it could be managed (Kel couldn't exactly fit her mind around the idea that they would want to rest rather than eat), she was 15 minutes late for the meal.

This meant, as she grabbed a hearty bowl of the meaty stew that had played games with her nose earlier, that all of the other men in the knights dining hall were finishing up with thirds and going up for desserts. Kel grabbed a still warm loaf of bread and went over to sit with her friends.

The dining hall that she had used as a page and a squire had a specific set of rules. You have to be there at a certain time. Outsiders always sat at the head table with Lord Wyldon. You cannot talk as loud as you want. There are NEVER animals in there.

But that was the dining hall that was used for pages and squires. The dining hall that the knights ate in was completely different.

Their wives, children, cousins, aunts, and anybody else who might think to visit them eat in here and at the side of that particular knight. If you're late, oh well. Nobody will give you a hard time because you can take care of yourself. First come first serve.

The hall is often filled with noise, be it happily munching middle aged men that are trying to hide from a prospective mother in law two tables away, or younlings shouting for fun insults at their best friends so those two can have a good go at each other in a duel.

During the non meal hours, men playing strategic games and happily gambling their coppers away fill the room along with theological knights that debate each other on the harsh issues that the kingdom has to deal with every day.

And if you try to stop the men's dogs from coming in after their masters? You'd get a sword at your throat for trying to mess with a knight's prized hound. They often follow the men everywhere, sleeping during long talks, and begging during meals. In fact they probably think themselves as knights themselves, they are given so much free reign.

So this was the spectacle that Kel walked into as she set her filled dishes down at her friends' usual table. Mostly it was herself and all of the people that had gone through training with in the same years (if they were at the palace at the time). There was also the occasional drop in by men of the King's Own (who had their own dining arrangements, but liked to visit Kel because she had recently been their commander's squire) and of relatives just "dropping in" to check on their young nephews (or in Kel's case niece). Also were the betrothed and married of the members of the table and maybe a courtier. Kel preferred not to think of the ones that showed up sleepy in the mornings, trying to keep her associations with her friends platonic.

Kel blessed her meal and began to devour her food, preferring to listen to her friends rather than join in their conversations. Neal and Yuki were arguing with each other about wedding plans… Merric and Esmond were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of hanging (Kel tried to turn a deaf ear to these, preferring to keep her meal down) while Esmond's wife (he had gotten married right after he achieved his shield), Syrene formerly of Darroch, tried to engage her husband and his friend in a different topic of conversation… Owen (who had just gotten his shield about 2 months ago) was trying, unsuccessfully, to construct a... well Kel really didn't know what it was, just that he was working very diligently on it and he was using the stew, apple slices, a ornate gravy tureen, and weird looking pieces of walnuts.

Kel smiled to herself as she scraped the last bits of her stew up from her bowl. That was Owen of you: always doing something different, and always as unsubtle as a person could be. That's part of his charm though.

As her dinnermates started to get up to leave, she stopped Neal. The boys in her room looked weary, and Kel thought that it would be a good idea for him to check them over, because he was a healer. Not only that, but she needed to tell somebody of what happened and Neal was a good secret keeper (if she told herself over and over, it might become true…).

Neal turned as she called him and Yuki stayed at his side. "What's the matter, Kel?"

Kel thought about asking him if Yuki could leave for a moment, but decided better. Yuki can keep secrets too, and Neal would end up telling her anyway (no amount of wishful thinking could make that fact go away). "I have something that you need to see."

"What is it?" he said looking genuinely worried. Yuki, too, had a concerned face on.

"It's…well its sort of hard to explain. I think you'll need to come to my rooms to see for yourself."

Neal looked puzzled but obliged. "Yuki?" he asked. "Are you coming along with us?"

Yuki shook her head. "I have a date with your Lalasa, Kel, to get measurements for my wedding dress. I'll hear about it later. There is a feeling I have that Neal won't find a loss for words where you do." She giggled at her little joke while Neal gave a soft chuckle.

Kel told Neal that she would be waiting right outside when he was ready to come along. She knew what every one of their partings were like, and for some reason she didn't like those long passionate good-bye kisses that Neal and Yuki gave each other.

Soon Neal came out and they began their trek to her rooms.

"Is this about those 'Them' that you were so excited about meeting this morning, Kel?"

Kel thought for a moment. "Yeah, but it's different. They're better at explaining than I am."

" 'They' ?" Neal asked as they ran up a stairway. "You've got people in your rooms!"

"Kind of," Kel replied. "Maybe… Yes. Neal, you just have trust me. They're not dangerous. For the most part anyway. In fact… I think that they slightly remind me of a younger you."

Neal shot her a perplexed look as they arrived at her door. "A younger me? Who are they exactly."

Kel opened her door to peer inside her room. "Hello? Are you boys really sleeping?"

"Sleeping!" Neal asked. "We just ate supper. Why would they be sleeping?"

Kel responded with a bit of annoyance in her voice. "I don't know. All I know is what They told me."

"Lady Knight?" Arthur asked from… somewhere. "Is that you?"

"Yes it is, Arthur. Where are you guys?" Kel asked, making only her head viewable through a crack in the door on the room, while Neal mumbled under his breath, "Is that a kid!"

"We're uh… hold on Lady Knight Keladry…"

And then, from nowhere, and yet somewhere, the three of Them appeared on the ground beside the window. They were in a circle, like they were discussing something, with rolls of papers in front of them.

"What are those?" Kel inquired, focusing her gaze upon the sheaves of paper.

Kel saw all three pairs of eyes widen as they vanished back into the nowhere and three voices chimed "Nothing." The papers vanished almost like…. Almost like how the boys had reappeared in the forest. Not for the first time that day, Kel dismissed it in her mind. She reasoned with herself that They would tell her in the future. They would have to, if they expected her to be able to help them.

"Kel?" Neal asked from behind the door. "What. is going. on?"

"Lady Knight, is that a MAN behind you?" Tomas interrogated.

"Yes, he's my friend. Neal you need to meet the Head."

&&&&&

Argghhhghghgh! I'm so sorry! These cliffies just make themselves. I did so good on the last chapter, I know. But my writing…. It just seemed to lead to a cliffie! Please to comment on your opinion of cliffies, review, and I will DEFINITELY update sooner than this.

P.s. Don't you just love my Owen paragraph and a half! Yay for the jolly Owen lovers!


	4. Chapter 4

If I named the chapters I'd name this one, Neal meets somebody smarter.

Protecting the Head – Chapter 4

Kel swung the door open just enough so that Neal could go inside the room without being squeezed between the door and frame, got herself in her room, and closed the door.

When she turned around to get a look at her friend and her new charges, their faces were… well, not near to what she had been expecting. Both sides' faces were covered in confusion, and to the Head's side there were sparks of hostility.

Neal was the one to break the jagged silence. "The head?"

"You TOLD him!" Eric shouted.

"See, I told you guys this was a bad idea," Tomas mumbled.

"It was not a bad idea!" Arthur shouted at his oldest brother. "You jerks just refused to tell her!"

"But she TOLD him!" Eric proclaimed.

"That's because you two thought she'd be stupid to tell anybody!" Arthur cried. "You should have figured that she was smarter than that when she fooled our magic the FIRST time!"

"You fooled their magic?" Neal asked his friend.

"Hush, you!" Tomas barked. "You'll be gone in moments anyway, once we erase this memory from your mind."

"Erase his memory!" Kel cried. "Why in the Goddess's name would you do that! He's here because I asked him to come!"

Eric snorted. "Like pretty little mage boy would ever want to help on a dangerous mission! You just brought him here with the thought that he could make us behave, and then send us with our tails between our legs back to idiot Ian!"

"How in the world do you know my magical abilities!" Neal bellowed at Eric.

"Half-wit," Tomas drawled. "You can't fool us. The Lady Knight told you all she could about us as soon as she got the chance and then told you that we just needed controlled."

"Yes," Neal replied sarcastically. "That's exactly why I'm standing here like, what did you say? Oh yes, a half-wit. Kel, who are these boys!"

"Arthur?" Tomas asked.

Arthur looked up at his older brother and happily replied, "He's telling the truth Tomas. The Lady Knight, too."

Tomas glared at his younger brother and said, "Something tells me you aren't the least bit sad."

"Really?" Arthur eagerly declared. "Something tells me I'm not the only empath, Tomas…"

"Boys," Kel spoke, beginning to get irritated by the arguing going on. "What is going on? Didn't you tell me I could bring somebody else to help you?"

"Yes," Eric replied. "We did say that, but HE was not what we had in mind. We thought that you surrounded yourself with female friends, trying not to be in a male's presence more than you had to be, when winning your shield. We had no idea that you had mage MAN friends."

"Why wouldn't I? Not everybody would be opposed to me, and I would need SOME friends who knew somewhat what I was going through."

"True," Eric said. "We never thought about it that way…"

"Excuse me for breaking up your informative little conversation," Neal broke in, "but I am some how standing here CLUELESS about what is going on!"

"Quiet, you!" Eric said.

"Make me, boy!" Neal growled.

"Hush!" Kel yelled, dropping her Yamani mask out of irritation. She tried to reclaim calmness before she spoke again. Smooth as an undisturbed lake…

"Did she fall asleep?" Eric asked.

"No, she does this from time to time now. When we first met she NEVER yelled."

"That just show's what being with you for 10 or so years can do to a person," Kel stated, coming out of her calm area.

Kel becoming calm somehow infused a calmness in the rest of the room.

"Can you three tell him why you called me here, since I somehow can't explain it myself?" Kel said.

Arthur sheepishly grinned.

"Now she'll KNOW that we were up to something," Tomas irritatedly said at his youngest brother.

"Well we were, weren't we?" Arthur said. "She already knew it before when she saw our sheaves on the floor because Loud cough somebody forgot to put them away… And no we aren't going to tell you what those rolls were of lady knight."

Kel was slightly annoyed. "I bet your brothers get really tired of you being an empath…"

"You have NO idea..." Eric mumbled.

"Wait, hold on a second…" Neal shouted. "HE'S an EMPATH!" he exclaimed as he gawked at Arthur.

"We've got a lot to explain…." Tomas mumbled.

After two hours and a lot of patience from all parties there was only a small notch of understanding from the two non-Head people.

Neal was told that the three boys were fugitives from an evil mage looking for help.

Kel was told the reason that she couldn't tell Neal about the Head was because they had placed a spell on her so that she wouldn't tell anybody about them.

Neal and Kel also conveniently left out that Neal's magical abilities extended only to healing. It's not like the Head would fear him any for it, they just would give him more respect (something they found useful on their side)

Tomas, Eric, and Arthur ended there thinking that all curiosity should be content. They must not have ever heard of Neal, the all knowing man with the sharpest tongue in all man-dom (from his eyes, people. From his eyes!).

So Neal persued the truth until justice was brought to his knowledgeable mind (a.k.a. he bugged the crap out of them until they told them everything that Kel already knew, with Kel's confirmation).

Kel asked why the spell was even placed on her in the first place. They started to refuse to tell, but then Kel glanced over at her prized glaive, which was within a hand's reach. Quickly, They told her that they liked their privacy that, apparently also earned respect... :). Hence the reason why they wanted to stay in Kel's rooms.

Kel asked why they wanted privacy in a court filled with knights who would find out and surely help them out.

Tomas told her to mind her own business.

Neal told him that his business (as in Tomas's) IS her business since she's going to help them out.

Eric told pretty-boy mage to shove it.

Neal told four eyes to not meddle in things he can't handle.

Arthur and Tomas started run after Neal,momentarily forgetting all really good curses.

Eric told his brothers to stop it and that he could fight his own fights.

Tomas said that he wasn't about to let some unhonorable knight to trash talk his family.

Kel asked why Neal was unhonorable when he had come here to help her help them.

Tomas asked wasn't it obvious? If she trusted this mage man so much then they were naturally lovers. And he hadn't seen a marriage band on either of their hands.

Kel and Neal blushed as Neal started after Tomas shouting that he was engaged to another woman you little CENSORED! And that wasn't honorability from not asking inappropriate questions!

While Neal was chasing Tomas, Tomas was trying to avoid the older mage man, and Kel was trying to wipe off her blush, Arthur started to laugh. And laugh hard. All three of them stopped what they were doing to see what was so funny. It was then that everybody had noticed that Eric wasn't in the room anymore.

A/N: Hey! Another day another chappie. I think that this Kel's room scene is going to last A WHILE…at least 1 more full chappie, and that will probably end up cutting it off.

Oh, and see that pretty button at the bottom left of here? Click it. It magicly makes my stories better. ;-)

Bamboulieblue, I thank you immensly for being so encouraging. I LOVE IT! Pourtoujourmort, I appreciate your thoughts upon my story and I'm seriously trying to make Kel more…noneasygoing? I think that's the opposite of dismissive. Isn't it?

So review. I appreciate EVEN flames. Thankies!

P.s. don't you love Neal the Mage-Man (just say it out loud and you'll see what I'm laughing about)?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Yay! Another chappie. And this one is really special. teardrop it's the only thing that I wrote during my sweet 16 (4/20).

It has been requested that ages and looks of all characters be given again… I will oblige.

Tomas of Emtuem – 16 years old. curly, coarse, jet black hair; irritable looking face, round shaped face, big hazel eyes, full lips, pleasant nose, and the tallest.

Eric of Emtuem – 14 years old. dark brown wavy hair, heart shaped face, full lips, round nose, beady eyes with thick framed glasses (but the glasses look nice on him)

Arthur of Emtuem – 11 years old. curly, ear length, jet black hair; heart shaped face, happy chocolaty brown eyes, cinnamon freckles, pleasant nose, thin dimpled lips.

They all also wear robes like this: black robes, but these were not those in the style of a master mage. This seemed to have been made with them in mind, but there were the distinct features of pockets, no sleeves, and ties instead of buttons.

It has also been requested that I name the chapters for easy reference. This I deny though because it is my Authoral creativity that dominates those kinds of decisions (ahhh… lot's of big pretty words… a.k.a. I think it's cooler just to have like Chapter 1, Chapter 2, so on and so forth.)

And, Kelly are you crazy! My story has been nothing but bickering… but I will be happy to add more witty people yelling at each other if that is what it takes to get an audience.

p.s. long enough author note?

Protecting the Head – Chapter 5

Neal and Kel started to look around everywhere, seeing where Eric could have gotten to, while Arthur just laughed and laughed, and Tomas scowled and sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Where could Eric have gotten to?" Kel mumbled to herself opening the door to the privy, despite the fact that ALL of the doors and windows in her suite of rooms were squeaky (a kind of primitive security system, really…).

"Oh, you won't find him in there," Arthur laughed out.

"Really," Neal demanded. "Where, pray I ask, may we find the little… boy?" he asked trying to find an appropriate noun to describe the fourteen year old.

Tomas glared at his brother, anticipating his brother's answer, and Arthur glared on back. "We have to," said Arthur.

"We promised each other that only by our OWN will, may the person reveal their OWN power…"

"Well, he chose to, since he just disappeared!"

"So if something happens to me you'll just blab to the world what I can do!"

"That's different, and you know it!"

"Boys!" Neal cut in. "What are you arguing about!"

Arthur cut Tomas off before the sixteen year old could even start. "Why Eric disappeared. And we KNOW…," he said. Then motioning over to his eldest brother, Arthur continued, "HE just won't let me say."

"And for good reason too, you blabbermouth," Eric's voice came from nowhere.

Kel and Neal rapidly looked around the room, for surely it came from inside. But Eric was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm not blabbing," Arthur shouted to the air. "You're the one who up and disappeared."

"Because you WOULDN'T stop laughing!" Eric's voice replied.

"I can't help what happens! It was so funny! The look on your face…"

"Shut it, baby!"

Something then clicked in Kel's head. Eric sounded like exactly what he sounded like in the forest. What were Tomas and Arthur just arguing about? Their powers. Not telling anybody somebody else's powers. It was beginning to become obvious now…

Kel began to talk slowly and cautiously. "Do you have the ability to disappear at will, Eric?"

A sharp "NO!" was her reply.

"Liar!" Arthur shouted. "Like you could do it, and she wouldn't notice!"

"I only did it because you started LAUGHING at me!"

"I only laughed because-"

"Will you two shut it!" Neal exclaimed. Then he turned to Kel. "Have you seen this before?"

Kel nodded her head. "When we first met they didn't trust me so they… Oh, for the love of Mithros! Will you take the spell off of me already!"

Tomas shook his dark, curly locks. "You've known us, for what? Not even a day. There's still time for you to betray us."

"To which, I say," Arthur spoke up, "We've tested her TRUE intentions."

"You just like to be the one arguing, don't you?" Neal asked.

Arthur proudly nodded his head, then replied, "Speaking of arguing, Eric does have the ability to disappear at will."

"Toadbottom," Eric unsatisfactorily commented.

"You are NOT telling them what I can do." Tomas fiercely said.

"I wasn't about to!"

"Really? Because it feels like you're ready to become a public gossip!"

"Why do you always think that!"

"Because it's true!"

"Back to Eric, boys!" Neal shouted.

"What about me, mage man?" Eric inquired.

"Well, I was just wondering when you were going to come out of your oblivion and tell us yourself your big secret without your brothers having to go through your diary,"

"I do NOT keep a diary!" Eric shouted. Despite that, after a slight wrinkle in the air (and yes it WAS meant as a wrinkle) Eric stepped into a watching audience.

"It's called manifestation, mage man. Though, I suppose you were about to say that…"

"The name is Sir Neal, boy."

"The name is Eric of Emtuem, half-wit."

They locked furious gazes for a moment while the three other occupants of the room tried to get as far away from the proverbial wills as possible. But Kel just had to intervene, because of the fact that this arguing was getting extremely old and supremely annoying.

"Can we please just call a truce, if just momentarily, to not argue? We haven't got anything accomplished, besides introductions because of all this bickering."

"I'll stop if HE'll stop," Neal replied.

"I'll stop if HE'll stop," Eric echoed. "Besides, what DO we need to do?"

Kel decided to let all of this frustration out on the poor boy. "Well firstly, I need to find you three NEW lodgings because you'll cause a rucus if you stay in my rooms. Next if we're planning on journeying to Emtuem anytime soon, we'll need to pack supplies. And if you want privacy, for some unknown and most likely absurd reason, we need to do this quickly. PLUS Neal and I need to ask a couple of friends to come along with us, because we certainly can't do it ourselves. And if we need to do that then you'll HAVE to take the stupid spell off of me so that I can tell them what's happening. Is that enough or do you want me to continue!"

By the time she finished, Eric looked like he wanted to crawl underneath of Kel's desk, curl up, and die there (as any sanely thinking person who faces the wrath of Kel should feel). Which, of course, made Kel feel absolutely horrible…

"Oh, I'm sorry Eric," Kel sincerely cooed. "I'm just getting really frustrated. I shouldn't have taken out on you."

"Don't appologize to him Kel," Neal said. "It's exactly what they want. They'll make you feel guilty and then you'll have to help them. Besides he was the one who disappeared."

"Are you implying that we WANTED the lady knight to yell at our brother!" Tomas said.

"Surely not," Neal replied in a mock tone. "That was just what I said, and what I say always implies the opposite."

"Neal, hush!" Kel said. "The next person who even THINKS about opening their mouth to argue will be sent to help the new training master out with manual chores for a month! And Neal don't you tell me that I can't make you do that, because despite the age difference, I can haul Yuki up here, and you KNOW what she'll do!"

Silence and the summer crickets filled the room after the outburst while the boys cringed at the thought of manual labor. Neal flinched at thinking what Yuki would do to him if Kel gave her a report of what happened (not to mention the humility of the girl yanking him by his ear through the whole castle… and that wouldn't even be the worst). Kel was meditating again, because she was definitely having some built up emotions after THAT fiasco.

Kel then sighed with happy relief. "Now that that's finished, I think that I have thought of a temporary solution to the rooming problem."

"We're just going to stay with you, lady knight," Tomas said firmly.

Kel rounded on him. "Like I've explained countless times, you WILL get discovered and it will be MORE of a court gossip if you are staying in my rooms. I know you would like your privacy and this solution will solve that problem, if not momentarily." Pause for dramatics. "You three will stay in Neal's rooms."

Immediately there was a pointed outburst.

"But he's a pig!"

"They'll keep me up all night!"

"There won't be enough room!"

"But what about Yuki!"

"SILENCE!" Kel commanded. "I'm sorry but if you can think of a better arrangement OUT of my rooms, then let's have it."

The males were all silent. After another pause for dramatics, Neal spoke up. "I know." Pause and large smirk. "They can stay with Dom."

A/N: Muahahahahahahaaa! Evil cliffie. I know. I WILL update soon. I probably will have half of Chapter 6 written by tomorrow. But if you want faster updates tell me why I should. :)

p.s. I can't figure out what is funnier… Mage man Nealan or Sir Neal… he he heee….


	6. Chapter 6

A/n: I'm sorry for taking so long posting this chappie. I've had so much going on that I really didn't have much of a chance to write. But now that my JV softball season is over (last game was Thursday and I got a double with 1 RBI, for anyone who cares), I will (hopefully) have tons of more writing time.

Protecting the Head – Chapter 6

Kel was taken aback by Neal's suggestion. Stay with Dom! She was going to ask him to help anyway. Him and his squad were off from duty for a month or so more because the war was pretty much over with (and the King gave them all pardons from cleanup duty for a while for being such big heroes), and they had so much history together that they probably wouldn't be able NOT to (at least Dom and a couple of the men that didn't have family right there in Corus).

Neal barreled on. "If you think about it Kel, it makes perfect sense. My cousin is unmarried. He is well off. He's probably bored to tears. He is good-tempered. His family is filthy rich. Plus, you'd be able to wrap him around your little finger easily."

"I cannot wrap- Wait, he's rich!"

Neal looked at her strangely. "Are you daft! His family is in the book of gold. Of course he's rich!"

"Then that means that you are too," Kel said indignantly.

"Yeah, but my father won't let me have a copper of it. 'Make your own way, Nealan,' he says. 'Have your own hardships and troubles, and learn from the world.' I only asked if he'd help pay for Yuki and my own's wedding. Dom's 'daddy-dearest' on the other hand, hands money out as if there is no tomorrow."

"Don't worry mage-man," Arthur spoke up. "We know what it feels like to have our inheritance squandered by some half-twitted fool."

"Yeah," Eric said. "Who's Dom, and why can the Lady Knight wrap him around her finger?"

"See!" Kel said. "Now you should feel ashamed of yourself, because here you are whining about your father not giving you money, while theirs is dead."

"I guess you're right, Kel," Neal mumbled.

"Who is Dom?" Eric repeated himself.

"Now before we get into anything else," Kel said, "we should start our trek over to Dom's rooms, before it gets too late."

"But who IN MITHROS'S NAME IS DOM!" Eric shouted.

Neal rolled his eyes at the boy in glasses. "Domitan of Masbolle is my cousin who is a sergeant in the King's Own. Kel had traveled with him some when she was Lord Raoul's squire, and he was one of the men who accompanied myself on helping Kel out last year when she defeated Blayce." He grinned over at Kel, then said, "She can wrap him around her finger because he's got a thing for her. And don't look at me like that because I can tell these things, you know?"

"Neal, Dom does NOT have a thing for me."

"Then why are you two always laughing together!"

"It's usually about your most recent stunt, MEATHEAD!"

And, at the famed nickname the three boys in the room cracked up laughing at the stupid mage man's pet name.

Domitan of Masbolle was just settling down under his blankets when he heard his door knocker bang three times.

'Now who could POSSIBLY be calling at this hour?' he thought, for there was only perhaps half of an hour until the midnight bell.

Hastily, he arose up out of his covers, and stumbled his way through his suite to open the door.

In front of him were three smiling boys (all of who had been told to be on their best behavior or they'd be hung from their shins in the middle of the whole town), his favorite cousin, and... "Kel!" He quickly ran his hands through his hair, to fight some of the unruly tangles that had already formed.

Kel fought down a blush as she replied, "Hi, Dom. Uh, may we come in for a bit?"

Dom hesitated as he looked at her escorts, thinking that it probably wasn't a social call (at least not at this time of night and with them). Then with a big goofy grin he said, "Come in, come in! I'm always pleased to see friends."

The five quickly went inside and shut the door behind them, while the boys of Emtuem made a beeline for the couch that was placed in the middle of the living room. The three (a/n: cough, cough) adults took this opportunity to talk.

"Who are they?" Dom whispered, still smiling.

"How lovely it is to see you again cousin!" Neal shouted. "Have you done something to your hair? I really must see that hairdresser of yours. It's fabulous."

"Shut it, Meathead." Dom said. "Now, who are they?"

"And how's the bonny lass of yours?" Neal asked. "Still kickin' I hope!"

"Neal!" Kel and Dom shouted at the same time. "WHO ARE THEY!" Dom repeated.

Neal looked over at the three boys wriggling on the couch and asked, "Don't you just love it when things are done in threes?"

"Neal," Kel said. "I have half of a mind to just force them to stay with you, since you seem to like them so much."

"NO!" the males (other than Dom) shouted.

"O.k. I'm breaking the three thing," Dom said. "Who are they!"

"You're not like mage man," Arthur commented. "You're stiff."

Dom lifted a finger into the air. "Well, then I'll give you a better question. Who is 'mage man'?"

Kel contained a laugh as she whispered to Dom, "Mage man is what they call Neal. They haven't realized that the farthest extent of his power is healing, and we don't want to break it to them because it kind of keeps us even."

Dom blinked twice. " 'Keeps you even'?" he whispered. "They are boys."

"Actually," Kel said. "Dom this is the Head. Arthur, Eric, and Tomas," she said, as each boy gave some gesture of acknowledgement as she said each respective name.

Dom looked suspiciously around at the room. "Am I supposed to know who the Head are?"

Kel smacked her forehead. "OH, silly me! You see they need help. Something about a warlock named Ian, being uber powerful and threatening to harm all that is well and beautiful in their world. They'll tell you the whole thing when you say yes."

"You need my service? Sure. No problem, Lady Knight. When are we leaving?"

Kel smiled a beautiful whopper at the sergeant. "Actually..."

"Tell me why again you are doing this?" Dom asked Kel as the others had gone to fetch some blankets and pillows and food from housekeeping.

Kel sighed and then replied, "They are only boys. They've been kicked out of their home. I guess it's my instinct that tells me to help them. And it's not like we're doing anything useful here at the palace, looking pretty."

"And tell me again why I'M doing this?"

Kel sheepishly smiled, "Because you are my friend. If they are caught in my rooms, you know the kind of rumors that will fly around the castle. And if they stayed with Neal, I know that one of them will be dead by the end of the night. And I would kind of prefer them to stay living."

The sergeant inhaled largely then replied, "Okay Kel. I'll do it, if not to keep Meathead alive, then for you."

"Thanks, Dom!" Kel said, and then she leapt up and inconspicuously kissed him on the cheek. Then she ran out the door, as Neal, Tomas, Eric, and Arthur came in with armfuls of bedding and food. "I'll be around after the 2nd bell in the morning to check up on you all. Have a good night! And, boys: BEHAVE YOURSELVES!" And with that, the Lady Knight was gone.

"Did she just KISS you!" Eric asked.

A/n: viola! Another chapter of your favorite arguments! Now if you want me to post FASTER tell me. And while you are at it, also tell me what you think of the story.


End file.
